Who is the Central Antagonist in Vinland Saga?

Vinland Saga is an immersive series created and written by Yukimura. It has a well-rounded plot with no major flaws, captivating characters and realistic character development.

The story is set in the age of Vikings and obviously involves pillaging and plundering along with the murder of many. The storyline does not really allow us to categorise people into good or bad and is rather grey.

So when we talk about the antagonist of the series, we are not really talking about the “villian”, but rather about the person who is actively acting against our protagonist, Thorfinn.

That being said, let’s find out the antagonist of Season 2 as well as the central antagonist of the series!

Vinland Saga has many antagonists, however, Floki is the major one. He was the one who caused all the major incidents and caused a lot of agony to Thorfinn by contracting Askeladd to kill Thors.

Thorfinn’s Self-exploratory Journey

Vinland season 1 was all about battles and fights. Thorfinn was obsessed with revenge and all he cared about was killing Askeladd. As far as Thorfinn was concerned, Askeladd was the villain in his story.

Season 2 takes up a different pace from Season 1. Thorfinn, who witnessed the murder of Askeladd at the hands of Canute, lost his entire purpose. He is sold off as a slave to Ketils farm and he has lost his desire to live.

This arc takes us on the journey of Thorfinn’s self-discovery. Thorfinn is seen coming closer to his father’s ideals and taking a more pacifist approach.

Ketil-The Main Antagonist of Farmland Arc!

Ketil is the main antagonist of the Farmland arc which is covered in the second season of Vinland Saga. Initially, Ketil comes off as a good slave owner who adheres to his moral principles.

He said that even slaves are people who deserve their freedom and give them a chance to earn their freedom. But as the story progressed, it became evident that his entire personality is a facade.

He only acted like a nice and generous person when things were going his way. But as soon as things went a little astray, he acted in a gruesome manner.

In one instance, he beat Arnheid within an inch of her life after she tried to run away with her husband to the point where she lost her baby and died.

In another incident, Ketil’s stubborn behaviour led to the death of many farmers in a worthless battle against Canute’s army.

Arnheid was lovely, and her story with her husband, not only served to show that bloodshed follows Thorfinn wherever he goes even if he doesn't want it to, but it also served as a fantastic story on its own. Her husband, haunted by his PTSD and guilt, was all very emotional. pic.twitter.com/epayVl8Chh

— Theodor (@Tharizdun03) May 30, 2020

Floki’s One-Man Show!

Floki is one of the main antagonists of the Vinland Saga series. He is a spiteful and petty character who always felt that Thors looked down on him. He held a grudge against Thors for years. His treacherous and disloyal attitude made Floki despicable.

Floki contracted Askeladd to kill Thors which led to all the major events in the story making him the central antagonist of the series. He caused immense tragedy and suffering to Thorfinn who idolised his father.

About Vinland Saga

Vinland Saga is a Japanese historical manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura. The series is published under Kodansha in its monthly manga magazine – Monthly Afternoon – aimed at young adult men. It currently has 26 volumes in tankōbon format.

Vinland Saga is set in ancient Viking times, where a young Thorfinn’s life goes astray when his father Thors – a well-known retired warrior – is killed while on a journey.

Thorfinn then finds himself under the jurisdiction of his enemy – his father’s killer – and hopes to seek revenge on him when he grows stronger. The anime is loosely based on the expedition of Thorfinn Karlsefni in his search for Vinland.